Frank Walker (Jersey politician)
| Frank Harrison Walker | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 1st Chief Minister of Jersey | |
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In office December 2005 – December 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Terry Le Sueur |
| Senator in the States of Jersey | |
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In office December 1996 – December 2008 |
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| Deputy in the States of Jersey | |
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In office December 1990 – December 1996 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | Jersey |
| Spouse(s) | Fiona Walker (formerly Spurr) |
| Residence | St Brelade, Jersey |
| Occupation | businessperson |
Frank Harrison Walker OBE was the first Chief Minister of Jersey, 2005-2008.
In 1973, at the age of 29, Walker became Managing Director of, and acquired a major shareholding in, W. E Guiton & Co. Ltd., the parent company of the Jersey Evening Post, the Island's only daily newspaper. In 1978 the newspaper moved to new custom designed premises and installed the latest print and typesetting technology. Over the next two decades the newspaper grew its readership, substantially increased advertising revenues and recorded steady increases in profit. The company diversified into print, travel, retailing and IT and became the Guiton Group, which was floated on the Alternative Investment Market of the . In 1990 Walker stood down as Group Managing Director and took over the Chairmanship of the Group. Shortly thereafter he led the team that acquired the Guernsey Evening Press, the only daily newspaper in Guernsey. The group was sold, in February 2005, to the family who own the Wolverhampton Express & Star and other titles and businesses in the West Midlands. Upon the completion of the sale Walker severed all connections with the company.
Walker was first elected to the States of Jersey, the Island Government, on 13 December 1990 as Deputy of St Helier No 3 District and topped the poll when he was re-elected in 1993; he was then elected as Senator, with an Island-wide mandate, in 1996 and re-elected in December 2002, at which time he stated that this would be his final term of office. Walker did not stand for re-election in 2008.
During his political career Walker held numerous committee presidencies including the Jersey Post Office, the Finance and Economics Committee and the Policy and Resources Committee. He was elected Jersey's first Chief Minister in 2005.
While a Senator, Walker was the subject of rumours that he was a "serial wife-beater" and also that he abused his office by receiving "improper and corrupt inducements". These allegations were never tested in a court of law. However, in 2001, Walker took legal action against a Jersey accountant and the then head of Jersey's volunteer police system for spreading these rumours. The case was settled out of court, with the two paying Walker's legal and other costs and taking out a full page advertisement in the local paper to apologise unreservedly for their actions. The advertisement also carried an unreserved apology from one of the men for falsely accusing Walker of accepting financial inducements from a development company.
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